Hazel

Meet Hazel! Hazel is approximately 2 year old, and is thought to be a German Shepherd mix girl. Her coat is a gorgeous caramel brindle and so very soft. Miss Hazel joined HOPE on 11/04/2022 and we are looking forward to learning more about her as she progresses with her training.

Hazel spent about a year with Canine Rescue of Central PA. She did not spark a lot of interest from potential adopters, but the volunteers at the rescue just love her! She is an active girl who loves going for walks, playing with toys, especially her purple egg, which as you can see she likes taking everywhere, and pretty much any activity that involves being outside! If you’re an active family looking for a furry family member, Hazel might be your girl!

Hazel’s PetFinder Profile can be found here: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/hazel-53993877/pa/dillsburg/canine-rescue-of-central-pa-inc-pa255/

5/19/2023  Christmas came early for Hazel this week! She received a big box of treats and toys. She sends a big thanks to everyone who donated! She has already shredded several of her toys, which is just an indication of how much she loved them.

I made Hazel work for her treats (and toys) and she did very well–doing everything I asked of her perfectly! I’m so proud of her!

Hazel is still patiently waiting for someone to give her what she wants most–a forever home. Could it be you?

4/28/2023 Hazel is a strong girl, in personality, in play, in everything! She’s definitely not afraid of being who she is and we wouldn’t have her any other way! Today she spent time burning off some energy with Rocco outside, as they’re both attending the Denim, Diamonds and Dogs event tonight. We all keep reminding her that she needs to be on her best behavior, and we’re all hoping that she will meet her forever family tonight!

4/21/2023 We have zero complaints about Hazel! She’s been putting in the work, keeping her nose clean, and not paying too much attention to the other dogs. She may not be able to play off leash with another dog in the same yard, but she seems content to running around and playing tag through the fence.

We’ve been working on Hazel giving up toys, like the rope, when we play tug. When she starts to get excited she will hold on tight and some times give these growls like, “No, you let go!” We’re working on teaching her trade, but we clearly have more work to put in with her.

4/14/2023 This week with Hazel was AWESOME! She’s been doing really well with all the other dogs and is sometimes even playing with a few of them…or at least sniffing them and letting them sniff her through the fence. She may not be besties with any of them, but we think she’s starting to like some of them…Rocco and Chief to name just a few. She and Jaida apparently have a beef that seems will never be settled. This is why we call Hazel the Head B in Charge! We just love her attitude!

This week the pool came out and we thought for a second that Hazel was going to dive right in! She faked us all out as she turned at the last second and ran off! We got her back though and splashed some water at her every time she ran by.

Hazel has come such a long way and has been with the program for what seems like an eternity now! In reality its only been almost 6 months, but that can seem like forever to a pup who is waiting for her forever home!

4/07/2023 Nothing is hazy in Ms Hazel’s world this week!

Ms Hazel had a beautiful week! She got to enjoy the nice weather and really got to play hard outside. Every week she gets better and better hanging out with the other dogs, and she makes me so proud every week!

She’s been doing so well in fact that we let her play with Rocco and Chief this week! They would run up and down the fence line together, just barking and having a good time. She did so well with Chief, that they played a couple times on leash together. When they run along the fence line together, they sound like two banshees screaming 

We look forward to continuing her progress with at least the boy dogs! She’s still not a fan of the girls too much.

3/31/2023  Hazel did good on her training. I am so proud that she passed her Level 2 training this week–Woo Hoo! She has definitely come such a long way!

I took her walking with a couple of the other dogs this week. It went much better than last time. I try to keep her focused on me with a treat or ball instead of on the other dogs. I’ve also been having her in the sit position when other dogs walk past her.

We’ve been doing a lot of cuddle time and she loves that (so do I, LOL).

Hazel got GOLD STARS this week for her basic commands.

Hazel is ready for adoption as long as the family is aware of her dog selectivity and continue to work with her on that.

3/24/2023 Hazel has been reminding her Handler that even though she’s a Princess and should be treated like one, she’s also still just a dog, doing dog things.

So Hazel does this thing where she acts like a dog, even though if you ask her, she’s not a dog, she’s a Princess. When she decides to act like a dog, its usually when she’s bored, which means I decided to do something other than play with her for a few minutes. Today, her dog-like behavior led her to play a fun game of “toilet paper shred”! I left to go to school and when I came back, she jumped off my bed and ran to her crate like she knew she was in trouble. After I cleaned up the MESS, I called her out of her crate and she immediately jumped up on and started licking my face. You can’t help but to LOL! You just can’t stay mad at her! 

We’ve been working REALLY hard at just hanging out with the other dogs. Every week the HOPE Trainer tells us how much improvement she’s seeing week to week! Hazel may need a home of her own, but she’s been doing really great at just socializing with everyone, watching the action, taking turns showing off and getting attention. And if she does have a reaction, I walk her away for a minute and then we can immediately come back and relax again. 

Hazel is just waiting for that family that wants her to be the star of their show and treat her like the Princess she knows she was destined to be! To give Hazel the royal treatment, apply here https://www.hopedogs.org/adoption-application/?animal_name=Hazel 

3/17/2023 Hazel’s Handler has been working so hard with her this past week!

Hazel was not feeling the cold and windy weather this week! I felt bad seeing her shaking even while just using the bathroom. She has a jacket and a sweater but she didn’t want either of those! Once it got a little warmer outside, she played “Bark & Run” with Rocco along the fence line. Rocco would be on one side, Hazel on the other and they just bark at and run with each other. She could do this for hours, and it definitely tires both her and Rocco out. I like to let her do that before we get to our training routine.

I’ve been trying to get her on the treadmill but so far, she’s not a fan. We’re going nice and slow with it so hopefully we will get her using it.

She would definitely benefit from having an active person or family adopt her. This girl would prefer to be the only pet, but she’ll keep you busy enough for four dogs! 

3/10/2023 Hazel and I had a good week. She did well with all her basic commands. I’m trying to teach her how to play patty cake, but she keeps trying to use both of her paws at once. I know she’ll eventually get it.

She was playing with one of the officers and got very excited and grabbed on to the sleeve of his sweater. I think she thought it was a toy. When I told Hazel to “stop” she did, and immediately let go of his sweater. I was so proud of her.

Hazel is doing much better at walking by other dogs without reacting. But, if they react to her, she reciprocates. We’re working on that.

Grossest moment of the week was witnessing Hazel eat a piece of goose poop. (In case you don’t know, there are SO MANY geese on the prison grounds). I tried to stop her, but it happened so fast. I will definitely be more vigilant next time!

3/3/2023 Hazel’s Handler learned a hard lesson this week! 

I underestimated Hazel’s speed this week. We had a race in the yard and honestly, I really thought that I could beat her. I know she’s fast but I’m also pretty fast too! Maaaaaaaan, she totally smoked me! She left me in a trail of dust! Then to really rub it in, she kept running around me in circles, and I swear I heard her taunting me and rubbing it in my face!   

I couldn’t take it anymore so I grabbed a toy and distracted her with a game of fetch! I did eventually give her a couple of her favorite treats for her big win, but I still want a rematch! 

This week we’ve been working on some of her basic and advanced commands. We need to really work on her loose leash walking, as she starts turning into a kangaroo on walks, especially if she thinks I have food or if she sees something she REALLY wants! She’s also doing really well with greeting new people. She’s a social butterfly for sure! Hazel is actually headed to another event this weekend where she will get to meet a lot of people, maybe she will finally find her happily ever after.

2/24/2023  Hazel did well walking on leash this week mainly because there were not a lot of distractions. The only time she tried to take off was when she spotted a goose in the play yard. First, she stopped and got low to the ground and then she tried to take off. Thank heavens I had her on leash, or that goose would have been Hazel’s lunch.

Also, this week, I met and played with the new dog, Bella. Afterwards, I came into my cell and laid down. Hazel jumped on the bed and did a heavy sniff of me. Then she laid on me and rubbed her body all over me like the only dog scent she wanted to be on me was hers. I think she was jealous!

2/17/2023  Hazel must’ve had a long day of training today! As I’m sitting here writing this, she’s sound asleep and making these small little barking sounds. We’ve really been working hard this week, as we need to get ready for our Level 2 Obedience test this week! She has definitely come a long way compared to when she first got here. She even passed Level 1 Obedience with both me and her secondary handler!

Hazel’s second Handler has a a week filled with happiness, excitement and even a little sadness….

I’ve been spending a lot of time with Hazel lately, but I know all of that extra time will be coming to an end, as I’m getting my first dog, Bella, with the HOPE Program! Hazel has taught me so much! It’s absolutely heartwarming to have watched her grow and see her focus on learning! She is a very playful dog and wants only to please she has come so far and is a fast learner. You can just see her change in body language when you tell her “good job” or “yes” with a pat on her chest or a quick hug when she does the right thing.

Hazel did some amazing and unexpected things this week too! She’s learned Parkour and can run up the side of a wall, to what looks like 10 feet up! She will also run and jump into your arms on cue too!

Finally, since we won’t have as much time together, we spent time on the warmer days when the sun was out, just basking in the warm rays.

Hazel would really thrive in a home with people who live an active life, or would take an interest in learning about dog sports to keep Hazel happy. If this sounds like you, apply for our Happy Hazel Girl here, https://www.hopedogs.org/adoption-application/?animal_name=Hazel

2/10/2023  Hazel is such a sweetheart with people, but can be reactive to other dogs. One of my goals this week was to get Hazel to relax and stay calm when the other dogs are close. It’s a work in progress, but we are making progress.

Hazel tends to nibble softly or sometimes jump when being greeted or greeting people but will stop immediately with the word “nice.” This word is well known to her, and she understands and responds to it in full when used in different scenarios. By this I mean–you can say “nice” to her when she takes a treat and then she’ll take it gently, be “nice” when greeting people so she won’t nibble, and “nice” when approaching the side yard for play so she won’t pull with excitement when entering the yard. This shows me that she not only knows the word, but she also knows the meaning of it. Very smart girl indeed.

Hazel got GOLD STARS this week for “sitting pretty” and “stop” for stopping on a dime when going up and down steps.

2/3/2023 Weekly update on Hazel, she’s doing super great as far as training being around people and even other dogs! She was kind of bad this week though and I learned she has a sweet tooth!  When I went to school, I forgot that I left out an open packet of cookies AND I left her out the crate!  Did she eat the cookies?  Of course she did!  Did she feel bad about it?  Of course she didn’t!  But she did look so sad and them jumped up on me like she was saying, “Please forgive me, I just couldn’t help myself!”   How could I ever stay mad at her!

Hazel gets really distracted when other dogs, but she is making a lot of progress! This week she and I took the time to go on walks with Roxy, Oreo and Rocco in the big yard on leash. We walked between, side-by-side, and even shared some relaxation time, just a few feet apart, without any reactive behavior at all! Sure there were a few hard glances and some unwanted vibes at first but after a few days all is much much better! We also made a makeshift obstacle course, where we worked on some of her basic commands and let her run the course!  She loved every minute of it!  She now knows roll over!  She’s also learning to take the steps one at a time, where we ask her to stop on every step before moving forward.

1/27/2023 This past week, Hazel and I played basketball in the play yard. She played defense. Being that she is so fast it was hard to shake her. I would say that she won because she had a lot of steals. How could I score points when she stayed on me like I had a pork chop tied around my neck telling her to come get it? And when she got the ball it was difficult for me to get it back given that she has a ball obsession. So I kind of had to cheat and trade her with a treat. LOL. It was definitely a work out for both of us. We’re going to do that more often!

Hazel also really enjoyed the snow we had last week. Hazel and I were in the dog yard, and we started with a game of fetch, which was hilarious. To watch her go from a top speed run and end up in a 15 to 20 foot slide across the ground was total enjoyment for both of us. When she stopped to give up the ball, it was easy to see that she was having so much fun, and so was I. I then made ten snowballs and with her a good distance away, I let loose. She caught all but two and probably ate all ten. It was such a fun day for both of us!”

To apply to adopt Hazel, go to https://www.hopedogs.org/adoption-application/?animal_name=Hazel.

1/13/2023  In addition to working on Hazel’s basic obedience commands, we had a little fun time this week. It snowed for a little bit one day and there was enough snow in the dog yard for me to make snow balls, and I made a lot of them! I think Hazel thought they were regular balls. So when I threw them in the air for her to catch, she caught them, making them explode in her mouth. Then, she started to eat them. She had so much fun, and I had fun watching her!

1/6/2023  Hazel continues to do well. My biggest challenge with Hazel is getting her to calm down when we are around people. She is a jumper because she loves everyone. That is a work in progress.

12/30/2022 This week, Hazel got a nickname–“Speeding Bullet.” Every time I open the door for her to go outside, she runs out like a speeding bullet! LOL. Her energy level is high and she can go at it all day.

This week, I have been working with her to give high fives, and she’s doing it, thanks to the help from one of the new dog handlers.

When Hazel is not around the other dogs, she does so well with her training. Now, if I can only get her to focus when she’s around the other dogs.

12/23/2022  Hazel is a total sweetheart until she grabs a toy or something that she really likes–then it’s game of tug-of-war ON! I’m working with her to trade off with another toy or treat–she does okay with that most of the time, but I’m still working with her on that.

Hazel is an AWESOME dog and has no problem cuddling with me when it’s time to take a nap!

12/16/2022  Hazel was bad this week! Somehow, she got a hold of my toilet paper and shredded it everywhere throughout my cell. When I came back to my cell, she ran into her crate like she knew she had done something wrong. Right after I cleaned it up, he laid on top of me and gave me plenty of kisses, I guess to let me know she was sorry for what she had done. So, I guess I got to see Hazel’s ornery side this week!

12/09/2022  This week with Hazel was spent mostly indoors being that it was wet and muddy outside. She has no problem with playing in the rain, but I was not looking forward to washing all that mud off of her, so we played inside A LOT! I think she’s come a long way since her first week here. She’s starting to listen to me more, pay attention to me, and even the other handlers too!

This past weekend she had a run-in with Bruno when they were walking out to head to an event. Poor Bruno got the worst of it but luckily neither Hazel, nor Bruno, seem to be holding a grudge! 

12/02/2022 Hazel’s been doing good with the “down” command, but she still needs more work. She knows how to do it, but if she doesn’t think its worth her time, or there are too many other things going on, she will just look at you like, “what?” It’s been rainy, so the yard is part mud pit, and I learned the hard way that she likes to splash and slide in the mud, then cover me in mud! She gets it EVERYWHERE! 

Hazel is a good girl, but we’ve been working on her keeping her cool when she starts getting hyped up! She does get worked up around other dogs, especially if they bark or cause a commotion. She likes her space, so her perfect home would probably be one where she can take center stage. She’s a tough little girl who likes to hang back and watch the other dogs, and sometimes they don’t like this, so we’re working on it, helping her to relax more around the other pups. 

We also noticed that when she gets hyped while playing, she likes to mouth your arms or hands, but she is learning how to grab a toy instead and that play stops when this happens. She’s still working on learning the basics, but she’s such a sweetheart who loves everyone she meets, and she’s got everyone wrapped around her little tail!

11/25/2022  Hazel and I had a great week. She knows sit about 60% of the time, but with a high quality treat, it’s 100% , all day, every day! She’s almost mastered the laying down command, and I am confident that she’ll get it in a few days.

Hazel is very respectful of the small space we share. She is an awesome dog.

She had me laughing hard this week. When I crawled into her crate to straighten her blankets, she squeezed in with me and started licking my face all over. LOL.

11/18/2022  I’m continuing to work with Hazel on commands. Right now, she’s struggling, but I know she will get them as time goes on! She continues to adjust well to prison life.

This week, we’ve been working on “sit.” She’s starting to somewhat get it.

She loves to play fetch in the yard, and gets very excited about that. She also likes to just relax with me. She’ll jump up on my bed and lay next to me so she can watch TV.

Hazel is a dog with a lot of love to give. She loves to give kisses. Hazel is my new furry friend!

11/11/2022 This was my first week with Hazel so we spent most of the week getting to know each other. She’s pretty laid back, loves to play, and likes to run! I really like that she loves to cuddle!

We’ve been working on her commands, but it’s going slowly. No worries–we have plenty of time!